Drink, Slay, Love

Chapter Thirty One

"Faster!" Pearl called to the minivan. If the vampires had breached the tunnels, Bethany and the others would never make it to Evan's house. Clutching Evan's mane with one hand, she leaned toward the minivan and pounded on the window. "Find a closer safe haven!"

In the driver's seat, Tara nodded. Her hands gripped the steering wheel so hard that her knuckles looked like exposed bone. Beside her, Bethany slumped against the passenger window. Eyes half open, she breathed shallowly, cringing with every inhale. Zeke, Matt, and the others were crammed into the back of the minivan. One of them, Kelli from the sound of it, was shrieking like a scared cat.

As they reached the end of the mansion's winding driveway, five vampires burst into view: one of Jadrien's cousins, three vamps Pearl didn't know, and Cousin Antoinette in her prom dress. From inside the minivan, Zeke shouted, "Evasive manoeuvres!"

"What?" Tara said.

"Avoid them!"

She swerved to the right as unicorn Evan broke to the left. Pearl shouted in his ear, "I can hold them! Stay with Tara!" But he didn't listen. He leaped over the nearest fence. Racing through a backyard, he increased speed so that wind hit her face and stung her eyes. Four of the vampires chased them, all except Antoinette. Veering toward a house, Evan leaped onto a roof and over it. One of the vampires fell behind. The other three scrambled over the roof and then hit the ground running. Pearl clung to Evan's mane. "Get back to the minivan, you stupid horse!" She knew what Antoinette would do once she caught the minivan.

He pounded down the street and across lawns. At the end of the cul-de-sac, he plunged into a patch of woods. Branches flew at her face. She ducked her head. Behind her, she heard the remaining three vampires trample bushes. Evan ran faster, weaving between the trees. In seconds the forest was a brown blur around them, and she could no longer hear the sounds of their pursuers. This was how she'd always failed to catch Evan-he was fast, faster than the cars she liked to drive. Under any other circumstances, she would have loved this. Evan burst back onto the road.

They raced alone through the streets and the woods.

"Okay, fine, you lost them! But Antoinette is still with Bethany and the others." She hoped Tara had floored it. She didn't know if that clunker had enough juice to outrun a pissed-off vampire, though, even one in heels and a tacky dress. She tried to think what safe haven they could have chosen. "Go to Ashlyn's!" she shouted in Evan's ear.

He switched course.

A few minutes later they emerged onto Ashlyn's street. Ahead, Pearl saw that the minivan was parked sideways on the lawn by the front door, crushing the daffodils. Zeke and Matt were on opposite sides of Bethany, helping her up the steps to the porch. Tara pounded on the door, shouting for Ashlyn.

A shape crouched on top of the minivan.

One of the boys screamed and pointed at it.

Reaching the lawn, Pearl flung herself off Evan's back. She landed in a crouch, sprang up, and ran toward the minivan.

She threw herself between the minivan and the porch, shielding the humans.

The front door opened, and Ashlyn poked her head outside. "Tara? Is prom over already?"

Tara shoved inside, and the others piled in with her. Evan transformed into a human, scooped up Bethany, and carried her up the remaining steps and into the house.

Guarding them, Pearl backed up the stairs. The shadow on the minivan didn't move. As soon as she was sure the humans were inside, Pearl turned and sprinted for the door. She halted on the threshold-the air was solid in front of her, as if it were a wall instead of an open doorway. "Ashlyn, invite me in!"